[Hurriyet Daily News] As if there were not enough issues in Turkish-U.S. relations, a new one has been added to the mix.
This new one is the unpleasant incident that occurred in front of the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington on the day President Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First ... Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him... met U.S. President Donald Trump ...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States... Even though the Turkish delegation left Washington last week, the fact that the debate has continued for another two days in the U.S. is a sign that the reverberations of the incident, including the legal, juridical and diplomatic developments it has caused, will occupy Turkish-U.S. relations for a long time.
A short scan of the U.S. press the other day was enough to see how serious the dimensions of the matter have reached. While major newspapers such as The New York Times ...which still proudly displays Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize... , The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal had extremely detailed stories covering the incident and harshly criticizing President Erdogan’s security detail, the Washington Post also printed a very severe editorial.
These stories contained the U.S. State Department’s statement of "Violence is never an appropriate response to free speech," which also said the U.S. communicated "our concern with the Turkish government in the strongest possible terms." News reports also said the Washington mayor strongly condemned these actions.
On the other hand, the Turkish Embassy in Washington issued a statement that groups affiliated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) aggressively provoked the Turkish-Americans who responded in self-defense.
In another story in the Washington Post, two law professors from Georgetown and George Washington Universities discussed whether the diplomatic immunity of the president’s guards was still valid after they were violent to the protestors, thus opening the question of whether or not they would be prosecuted.
Another interesting article was by Noah Feldman, a professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard University, on Bloomberg’s website. He wrote that the attack "fundamentally erodes the First Amendment value of peaceful protest, right in the nation’s capital." He also called on federal law enforcement to investigate.
When all of them are added together, it is possible to say that all these stories and articles have acquired a critical intensity.
To be able to understand how deep the reactions in the U.S. goes, one has to see that as far as it is peaceful, the right to assemble and protest is one of the highest regarded, and almost sacred, value in American democracy.
All the news stories and debates are associating the incident with the U.S. Constitution’s first amendment from 1791. This is the constitutional article that protects freedom of expression in its broadest form. It states that the state will not interfere in any form in the free exercise of religion and freedom of speech; the right to assembly is considered as the basic factor of freedom of speech.
Actually, this amendment is the most important pillar that makes American democracy one of the most advanced democracies in the world. Within this framework, tolerance of the expression of even the most contradictory of views is accepted as the most indispensable part of freedom of expression.
Through video recordings, the incident has become public knowledge in all of the U.S. The U.S. press has covered the incident widely.
There are two dimensions to the matter. The first one is that the U.S. media, which has already had a quite critical approach toward Erdogan, will not let go of the incident easily. But this is not a matter that only regards Erdogan.
There is also the factor behind the sensitivity shown: This incident, in light of the widespread concerns that after Trump’s election, the democracy in the country has been losing ground, is seen like a cornerstone in terms of the protection of and testing of constitutional guarantees regarding freedom of speech. In this context, it can be assumed that public pressure will coalesce, demanding a thorough investigation. It will not be a surprise that liberal groups in the U.S. that are sensitive, particularly on fundamental rights and freedoms, will join this debate.
When viewed from all these aspects, we are talking about an issue that will grow further and become an annoyance in the coming days for Turkish-U.S. relations.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2017 00:00 ||
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#1
IMO, the only problem is USA refusal to understand that a Muslim can't be your ally.
#3
The US is ignoring his demands to not support the Kurds. So his White House meeting didn't go very well so what does a tyrant do? Attack, attack, attack.
This is just his first hateful response to the U.S. and he doesn't care what we think of his Praetorian Guard's attacks if people in Washington DC.
#7
Pappy, I'm talking long term, or - if you like "They want the same things we do, only they want them for themselves."
In case you haven't noticed, they practically begging you (USA) for an alliance against China.
#11
State Department’s statement of "Violence is never an appropriate response to free speech,"
Except on college campuses, of course.
Yippy should've claimed they were hate-speeching before his goons clubbed away.
Posted by: Bobby ||
05/21/2017 11:28 Comments ||
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#12
Was particularly impressed with the professionalism of the D.C. Police. Their hair and makeup could have been ruined if they'd been baited into intervening to stop the women and old people from getting curb stomped.
Posted by: Regular joe ||
05/21/2017 14:10 Comments ||
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#13
#4 IMO, the only problem is USA refusal to understand that neither a Muslim or a Russian can't be your ally. Posted by g(r)omgoru
[SCMP] Indonesia has moved to disband the decades-old hardline group Hizbut Tahrir ...an al-Qaeda recruiting organization banned in most countries. It calls for the reestablishment of the Caliphate... Indonesia (HTI).In a speech on May 8, retired general Wiranto, now a government minster, listed three grounds: that HTI had not assumed a positive role in the country’s efforts to achieve national goals; that its activities contradict the country’s principles and constitution; and that it had caused conflict in society, which may threaten security.
Wiranto said the group’s aim of establishing a caliphate was a threat to the nation state of Indonesia and that it would be disbanded legally.
What if Ahok’s loss in the Jakarta election wasn’t all about Islam and anti-Chinese feeling?
Rejecting the plan, the officially registered organization maintained that for 20 years it has mainly proselytised and preached about Islam, which is not against the law.
HTI is the Indonesian branch of Hizbut Tahrir, an international, pan-Islamic, political organization established in Paleostine in 1953, aiming to unify all Moslem countries under an elected ruler, or caliph.
It began its activities in the 1980s, by proselytising and recruiting members at campuses.
In 2007, at a large meeting organised by HTI in Jakarta, tens of thousands expressed support for the caliphate.
In 2016, Indonesian police found that Bahrun Naim, the alleged planner of the Jakarta bombing that year, had previously studied with Hizbut Tahrir.
Aside from Indonesia, Hizbut Tahrir is banned in 16 other countries, 14 of them Moslem states.
The disbandment announcement came only two days before outgoing Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Purnama, an ethnic Chinese Christian, was sentenced to two years in jail for blasphemy against Islam.
HTI, like many hardline groups, had supported the blasphemy charges.
Some Islamic organizations welcomed the move to disband HTI as a step toward curbing hardliners.
Even the Indonesian Ulema Council, the country’s top Moslemholy manal body, whose ruling went against Purnama in court, agreed that HTI should be banned.
The move against HTI would seem like a blow for hardliners, but Purnama’s imprisonment still signals the growing presence of Islamist influence in the court.
And other violent intolerant groups ‐ such as the Islamic Defenders Front and National Movement of MUI Fatwa Defenders, the main supporters of the blasphemy charges ‐ have not been banned.
Some speculate the Islamic Defenders Front still enjoys support from some elements in the military. Its leader Rizieq Shihab, himself under investigation for contradicting the nation’s founding principles, now hides in Malaysia.
One of the dilemmas of democracy is that its protection of individual rights and emphasis on pluralism let fundamentalist groups exist freely, even when such groups advocate undemocratic values. But in the end the survival of a diverse nation such as Indonesia depends on the preservation of its initial consensus to respect and protect such diversity from intolerant elements.
As the polarisation between hardline and moderate Moslems grows, it is crucial for the government to stay firm in upholding these core values.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2017 00:00 ||
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#1
But in the end the survival of a diverse nation....depends on the preservation of its initial consensus to respect and protect such diversity from intolerant elements.
Amen.
Sorry Muslims, we can't tolerate your beliefs being above those of our own Constitution, and our conscious.
#6
Around sept 11 I read something (Christopher Hitchens I think) suggesting one main thrust of our response should be to finance non-Saudi churches and work with Muslim nations outside the Arab world to eliminate the corrupting Saudi influence.
We didn't but Saudi money is getting tight so it might not be a bad policy try to somehow create and support an Eastern Orthodox Islam (from India east). One that might be able to live with the rest of the world.
#7
As Muslim Split Deepens, Indonesia Creaks Under Weight Of Intolerance
Here is the corrected headline:
As The Islamists Feel Their Oats, Indonesia Cracks Under Soul-Destroying Weight Of Islam
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
05/21/2017 14:11 Comments ||
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#8
HTI is the Indonesian branch of Hizbut Tahrir, an international, pan-Islamic, political organization established in Paleostine in 1953, aiming to unify all Moslem countries under an elected ruler, or caliph.
You mean like the European Union?
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
05/21/2017 15:00 Comments ||
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[PJ] It's funny how the social justice jihadis never realize how outrageously racist they sound to those outside of their own bubble.
The latest example comes from the University of Hawaii, where a math professor has informed all of her white male colleagues that they should quit. All in the name of social justice, of course:
Not to alarm you, but I probably want you to quit your job, or at least take a demotion. Statistically speaking, you are probably taking up room that should go to someone else. If you are a white cis man (meaning you identify as male and you were assigned male at birth) you almost certainly should resign from your position of power. That’s right, please quit. Too difficult? Well, as a first step, at least get off your hiring committee, your curriculum committee, and make sure you’re replaced by a woman of color or trans person. Don’t have any in your department? HOW SHOCKING.
Remember that you live in a world where people don’t succeed in a vacuum; most success happens on the backs of others who did not consent. You have no idea how successful you would have been if you were still you, but with an additional marginalization (not white, or not male, or not cis gender, or with a disability, etc).
Right now, I want to talk about gender equality because the fact that women aren’t actually a demographic minority makes certain arguments easier, but please know that actual solutions require women of color and trans people. Remember having white cis women run the world is no kind of solution.
Piper Harron, an assistant professor at the University of Hawaii, is apparently only in a temporary position. This probably contributes to the Princeton graduate's resentment toward the hiring process.
In her bio on the American Mathematical Society's blog where this screed was posted, she notes:
Given how things work nowadays, if she had even a smidgen of ability (or, at least, wasn't a too dumb and arrogant) universities would be fighting over her - for obvious reasons, math departments are always accused of racism & sexism.
#6
Maff be hard. You can theorize about social justice in the tub.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/21/2017 12:17 Comments ||
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#7
Her thesis (supposedly "meant to be readable") is online. It does not make things clear to the layman (lay-gen/lay-critter--whatever), and throws lots of cruft in the way for a mathematician.
I'm not familiar enough with the field to judge whether the mathematical work is good or merely OK, or whether this is likely to be advisor hand-holding. I _can_ say that the format is self-indulgent.
Posted by: James ||
05/21/2017 12:56 Comments ||
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#8
OOOOOO!!! You men!! You need to quit so that I can move into the lifetime guaranteed position that I deserve!
[SenseOfEvents] San Francisco's municipal minimum wage is eating the restaurant business there out of house and home.
When San Francisco added its own municipal minimum wage in 2004--one of the first in the country--the operating assumption was that tourists and techies would pay the higher prices necessary to offset the cost of the city’s generosity. Last year the San Francisco Chronicle looked at 20 years’ of menus from top restaurants and reported that prices had jumped 52% since 2005, twice the rate of inflation. But increasing prices isn’t a panacea for restaurant owners. "There’s only so much you can charge for tamales," the owner of a small eatery said in 2015 to explain one reason he was closing.
Read the whole thing.
#3
So a clickthrough to a blog, which has nothing on it but a link to another site. The other site is subscription only. Read the whole thing indeed. GJ
Posted by: Herb McCoy7309 ||
05/21/2017 4:16 Comments ||
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#4
... so much for the idea of bringing in so many illegal tamale eaters ...
#7
Moved to Opinion. Most blog posts belong in opinion, except the ones that belong on Page 6: Seedy Politics. Yes, I know it still says Seedy Politicians, but we expanded it because we're living in the Crazy Years.
#9
Rising costs chipped away at the restaurant’s profitability, according to a report by Thrillist, driving down the profit margin from 8.5% in 2012 to 1.5% by 2015.
Profit margin? You capitalist pig, you don't need no stinkin' profit margin!
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
05/21/2017 15:25 Comments ||
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#10
"There's only so much you can charge for tamales"
On Mother's day, younger son took us out to a very upscale "mexican" restaurant.
Wife got the tamale plate; the tamales averaged nine bucks a pop.
I kind you not. (Eight bucks for a Dos Equis.)
Posted by: ed in texas ||
05/21/2017 19:44 Comments ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[Hurriyet Daily News] As if there were not enough issues in Turkish-U.S. relations, a new one has been added to the mix. 
[PJ] It's funny how the social justice jihadis never realize how outrageously racist they sound to those outside of their own bubble.
